nelson mandela, who has been ill for some time. they're making a formal announce independent south froze, let's cut into that. >> those who knew that this day would come, his humility, his compassion, and his humanity, and their loss. our thoughts and prayers are with the mandela family. to them we owe a debt of gratitude. they have sacrificed much and endured much so that our people could be free. our thoughts are with his wife. his former wife, winnie mandela, with this children, his grandchildren, his great-grandchildren, and the entire family, our thoughts are with his friends, comrades, and colleagues. who fought alongside him over the cause of a lifetime of struggle. our thoughts -- today mourn the loss of the one person who, more than any other, came to embody their sense of -- national. our thoughts are with the millions of people across the world who embrace him as their own. and who saw his cause as their cause. this is the moment of deep sorrow. our nation has lost its greatest son. yet what made nelson mandela great was